What Was Missing
by Xsummergirl4235X
Summary: Watch as each of these characters discovers the missing part of their lives. Well, most of them...
1. Prologue

Close your eyes and try and picture your idea of a perfect ending.

Think of all the loose ends tied together in firm knots, holding everything steady and in its place.

Now open your eyes to see the hands of fate twisting and untying these knots.

Watch as the ribbons unravel.

Watch and wonder as they separate and spill out onto the floor, each end landing in its own unique place.

You thought it was over, but you were wrong. It is far from over. This story is just beginning.

The characters, whom you thought had their fates sealed tight, their lives are only beginning.

And yes, I do mean _everyone_. Whether you agree or disagree, it doesn't matter.

Just when you thought everyone was finally complete, that they had finally found the last piece of their puzzle they call life, in reality, they had only just begun it.

The waiting is over.

In this story, watch as each and every one of these characters find the next piece to their puzzles, as they finally discover…

…_What was missing_.


	2. Scars

Pucca sat solemnly and stared blankly into her bowl of fresh noodles.

Sleep had managed to escape her the last three nights, and she was more exhausted than she had ever been.

She couldn't stop thinking about Garu, how wonderful he was, how she finally had him all to herself. He had left almost a week ago on another secret mission, most likely involving something with his honor and all that nonsense, and he was supposed to be arriving back to the village in the next few days or so.

Not seeing him for such a long period of time was killing her inside, but she knew that she would just have to be patient with him, and let him have his space to do what he needed to do.

At least he would be returning soon enough.

Part of her was overly ecstatic, and sleep hardly mattered at the moment, but the other part of her still felt like she had made a big mistake.

But she had known well that it was for the best, so she coped with it as best as she could.

She continued to sit in silence, her eyes surrounded by dark circles, her head slowly drooping closer and closer to the table. In seconds, her head was plopped down into her bowl of noodles, and she was sound asleep.

"Pucca!" cried Linguini, awaking her with a sudden jolt, "that food is for eating, not for resting your sleepy head upon!"  
"Yes," piped in Uncle Dumpling, "We need you to give it a taste test and tell us your honest opinion about it, so it will be perfect by the time the food critic shows up."  
"Ugh… Uncle Dumpling," whined Pucca, "this is the 87th bowl of noodles you've served me in the past week and a half. I think it's perfect already."

"Ah, but we cannot settle at perfect, young lady. We need to go above and beyond so that we can get an outstanding review,"  
"And bring in customers," added Ho.

Pucca groaned as she slammed her face into the table, soon greeted by a hand propping her head up and gently pecking her on the lips. He grinned and said, "Perk up, sunshine. You'll get through it. I know you. You can get through almost anything."  
When she saw the face looking down upon her, her expression immediately brightened up. She leaped out of her seat and glomped onto him tightly.

"GARU! God, I've missed you…"

"Uh, Pucca, it's only been—"  
"_I don't care. _Any time away from you is torture to my being, and you know that, Garu." She stretched up to him and kissed him endlessly all over his face.  
"Heh," he muttered, "I do know."

"So…" she mused, twirling her hair around her fingers, "how'd the mission go?"  
"Eh, not so well. I got to where I needed to, but as soon as I showed up, I realized that the target had already gotten away. Well, better luck next time I guess."  
"Next time? Exactly how many times will there be until this "honor" thing is finally complete?"  
"I don't know, Pucca. But you have to be patient if I'm ever going to get through this."

"But Garu… I know it's really important to you, but… you can't just keep leaving me like this. Look at me, I'm falling to pieces."  
"I know, I'm sorry," He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "But what has to be done has to be done. Even if it takes eternity…" Her eyes grew wide in anxiety, so he decided to rephrase. "But," he continued, "Even if it does, I promise, from now on, you'll be at my side the entire time. I'll never let you go."  
"Oh, Garu…" The two lovers leaned in for another kiss, when suddenly, they were interrupted by the loud creak of an opening door. They paused and looked over to the doorway to see two familiar faces: Ching, who was assisting Abyo, now on crutches.

"Hey guys!" she chirped. "Glad to see everything is solid again between you two. I really missed the Garucca vibe that this town practically survives on."  
"Hey Ching," Pucca said, yawning, "hey Abyo. How's your leg?"  
"Better, still hurts a lot though. Damn that Tobe… he always has go and make everyone suffer, doesn't he?"  
"Heh, right…"

"Speaking of which, I haven't seen the guy in weeks now. I wonder what happened to him..."  
Pucca sighed uneasily, recalling the dark day back when she had totally left him in the dust. Her heart began to pound violently, remembering the look on his face when she told him she had to leave him. The look in his eyes, that sense of heart shatter slowly easing over him, she suddenly began to feel broken inside. Garu looked down at her wistful expression, and he muttered, "Pucca, are… you alright?"

She closed her eyes, trying to hold back tears, and shakily replied, "I'm fine. I just… I need to be alone for awhile."  
Her friends watched her with panicked looks on their faces as she slowly made her way up the stairs, her heart pounding harder and faster with each step she took.

She tried hard to forget, but she still couldn't seem to shake it off, no matter what she did.

He was still there.

Whether she wanted him there, or not.

Somewhere deep inside herself, she knew she still loved him dearly; not nearly as much as Garu, but there was still something present.

Pucca ran into her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed, clutching her pillow to her face. Downstairs, she could overhear Garu, Ching, and Abyo talking.

"What's up with her?" questioned Abyo.

"I have no idea…" replied Garu. "Maybe I shouldn't have left her for as long as I did. Poor girl is probably still suffering from boyfriend withdrawal. Man, I feel horrible…"  
"Don't worry, Garu," interrupted Ching, "it's not your fault entirely. She's just obviously… heard the news."  
Pucca's head immediately shot up. What "news" could they possibly be talking about?

"What news?" said Abyo.

"You know, about… Tobe."  
The mentioning of his name caused Pucca to hold her breath in anxiety. What could have happened to him? And did this have something to do with what she did to him?

"What happened?"

"Well…" Ching took a deep breath, and hesitated for several moments before gravely replying, "Last week, his ninjas returned to find him lying in a puddle of his own blood. They checked his pulse, and… nothing."  
Pucca gasped and shook her head in disbelief.

"Holy crap!" shouted Abyo. "What happened to him? Was he attacked?"  
"I'm afraid not. It appeared to be… a suicide attempt."  
Pucca froze in horror.

_Suicide_?

"Seriously?" exclaimed Abyo. "Are you sure?"  
"Yes, Abyo. He had a sword drawn through his chest, and all the doors appeared to be locked, so… it is what it is."

"Wow, that's terrible."  
Garu was silent for a few moments, before finally replying, "…indeed."  
The three somberly hung their heads in silence, remembering their long lost evil ninja. Meanwhile, upstairs, Pucca was lying in her bedroom, having a panic attack.

_This can't be happening… He killed himself for me. This is all _my _fault. This is just… awful!_

Pucca buried her face into her pillow and let tears escape from half closed eyes, remorse slowly sinking in.

Why did this happen? Why…

She sobbed and sobbed, until her sobbing was interrupted by Garu, who had just appeared out of nowhere, placing his hand softly on the back of her head.  
"Pucca… is there something we need to talk about?"

She hesitated for three seconds before sternly replying, "…_no_."  
Garu clenched his teeth. She was still the same stubborn Pucca he had always known. But maybe, if he could just get through to her… "Pucca," he sighed, gently stroking her hair, "it's alright." He attempted to comfort her, even though he had no idea just how effective these attempts would be.

"No…" she gasped, "it's _not _okay. I'm the reason he killed himself! I told him off and just… left him there! I'm such a jerk!"

"You're not a jerk, you just… have very many dilemmas going on right now, that's all."

"_Got that right_…" she muttered through her pillow.

"Look…" he said in a soft tone, "it's okay to feel guilty about it. I would be. In fact, I am. I'm the reason this whole mess started in the first place."  
"_It was a mess for you…_" she lifted her head and continued, "but for him, he couldn't have been happier. Why, if it weren't for you, his adoration for me would still be left in the dark, and he would still be plotting to kill you."  
"Hmm, I guess you're right. Maybe I should try and see things in more than one dimension once and awhile…"  
"Yeah, you should," She paused for a moment, and said, "Hey, why did he even start to have a grudge against you anyway?"

"Don't you remember? Two and a half years ago?"  
"Oh…" she remembered. "Right."  
~_Flashback_~

A young Tobe is seen walking through the forest, accompanied by no one but himself and his sword.

_Wow…_ he mused, _this forest sure is freaky when it's all silent like this. Then again, it is quite calming…_

He continued to move forward, until something stopped him dead in his tracks. A girl with red eyes, black odango hair, and pale, pale skin. To him, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life.

_Oh my_… he thought, _I've never felt like this before. This pounding in my chest, the blood flowing rapidly through my veins, this can only be one thing…_

He approached the girl with a crooked smile on his face, his limbs shaking, and he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Why, hello there!" the girl greeted vivaciously.

Her cheerful expression caught him off guard, and he stood in dead silence, his pulse speeding up by the second.

"Hello?" she repeated.  
"Umm…" his entire body trembled, his face a bright shade of red, as he merely replied, "…hi."  
He tried to say more, but it was as if those crimson eyes were bringing him into some sort of trance, one he would not escape from any time soon.

She had him trapped.

They continued to stare each other down for a few minutes, until Pucca began to feel irritated. Her smile faded, and she snapped, "Look, if you're just going to go and give me the silent treatment, then don't even bother." She started in the other direction, until he stopped her by saying, "Wait,"  
She turned around, grimacing. "Yes?"

"I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. And, um… I'd really like to get your name."  
"Oh," she replied, slightly less irritated, "Well, I'm Pucca."

_Pucca…_ Her name ran through his head like words on a typewriter. He couldn't get her name out of his train of thought. Before he knew it, he was caught in a trance again, and she had to snap him out of it.

"Hey!" she shouted. "Hey… are you okay?"

He finally stumbled back into reality, trying hard not to get lost in those crimson eyes again. So he decided to look down at the ground. "Me? Why… I'm fine, thanks for asking," He tried to reassure himself of the fact, but he knew it was no use. He knew it was inevitable now.

He was, for the first time in his dark life…

…_in love_.

"So," she said abruptly, causing his head to snap up at her, "your name is?"  
"…Tobe."

"Ah, I see. Well, very nice to meet you, Tobe."  
"Indeed, it is. Why, who knew that on this very day, our paths would suddenly cross and blur together, into something far unknown to anybody at this first glance. Why, I'd call it a coincidence. Or a miracle."  
"Wow… interesting… do you write poetry?"  
"I… not really. Anyhow, I knew I would find you someday, I just had this gut feeling. And now that we're finally face to face, at long last, we can fill each other's empty whole, make each other… complete."  
"You mean…?"  
"Indeed. Pucca—wait, that is your name, right?"  
"Yep."  
"'K, just making sure. So, um, Pucca, I don't really know how to explain this, but, I think I lo- love…"

"Pucca!"  
Someone in the distance called out her name. He was a young boy, about the age of twelve, two pigtails bouncing atop his head as he ran to the scene, continuously calling her name.

"Pucca, your uncles need you, right now."  
"Garu? What's going on?"

"It's an emergency. Remember, last week, when the…" He paused, as he carefully examined the other boy standing next to Pucca. "Who's this guy?"  
Tobe flinched. He always hated being referred to as "this guy", or "that boy", and worst of all, "it". From the looks of him, he already began to despise this pigtailed boy.  
"Him? Oh, this is Tobe. He's a really nice guy, very poetic, I may add."  
Tobe turned a light shade of red, and slightly grinned.  
Garu cocked his head to the side, and said, "He's not… a boyfriend, is he?"  
Garu was enlightened with sudden hope, hope that Pucca had finally moved onto someone else, and she might finally start to leave him alone. Then again, he wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing that he had given up on the girl that meant everything to him, even though he clearly had just met her, there was just something about her, something special, that stood out to him. He decided to ask just to make sure if it was official or not, not exactly sure which answer he was anticipating.

"Oh, of course not," she replied, gawking, "We just met. Besides, you know I'll never love anyone as much as I love you, Garu!"  
And with that, she glomped onto his back, squeezing him tightly, kissing the sides of his face. Tobe watched the sight in angst, his hope slowly falling to pieces.

I didn't know she already had a boyfriend…

Garu struggled to push her off of him, becoming slightly paranoid as he watched the boy stare at him with a deadly glare.

"Hey," Garu snapped, "What are you looking at?"  
"Me?" he replied feebly. "Why, nothing, nothing at all. Nothing but the air…" He began to slowly walk away, when suddenly, he remembered the beautiful smile on her face when she greeted him, her kind words about him. Suddenly, he was overcome by a sudden surge of strength, and he knew he wasn't going to be giving up so easily.

"Actually," he began, "I was staring at your hair. Pigtails? _Really_? You _did_ question your gender before you let her start kissing you, am I right?"  
Garu was filled with rage. "Don't mock the pigtails. They're cute, okay? Heh, I wouldn't even be the one to talk. Look at you, you cover your face with that mask. You must be ugly, wanting to hide yourself from the world."

Tobe growled, clenching his teeth in vexation. "Look… I've been put down all my life, so I'm pretty used to it. But for you, not even _knowing _me at all, to come out of nowhere and just call me ugly—without even seeing my true face? I don't know who you think you are, but let me tell you, you're best to stay away from me if you want to avoid getting hurt, badly."  
"Who _I _think I am? I'm Garu, nice to meet you—no, not really, actually. But let me tell you one thing: stay away from Pucca if you know what's good for you. She doesn't want you and your ugly face."  
"My face is _not _ugly! And since when can you make my decisions for me? Pucca, look into my eyes, tell me honestly: what do you believe the situation is here?"  
She stood there, motionless, responseless, still taking it all in. She had no clue what was going on.  
"Well, what do you say, Pucca?"  
"I—"  
"Didn't you hear me?" screamed Garu. "I said, _stay away from her_!" He swiftly pulled out his sword and swung it at Tobe's chest, missing.  
"Whoa," Tobe said, trembling, "dude. I didn't ask you to kill me."  
"Well, if you decide not to listen to me, maybe that's just what I'll have to do,"  
"Garu…" Pucca muttered.  
Garu paused for a minute, and slightly released his grip on his sword. "You know what?"he said, "I guess you're—" before he could finish his sentence, he stumbled over the ground, causing him to fall forward, his sword still in the air, slashing Tobe across his forehead.  
"GAH!" cried Tobe. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"  
"I, I'm sorry," Garu stuttered, "I-it was an accident, I swear."  
"Yeah, okay then. You won. I'm out of here." He turned around to leave, immediately followed by Garu.  
"Wait," he said sympathetically, but he didn't wait. He continued to walk forward, completely tuning him out. Garu continued to walk quickly after him, until suddenly, they both came to a halt when Garu's foot went out a little too far, causing Tobe to trip and fall face first onto a sharp, jagged rock, cutting another deep slash into his forehead.

"Crap…" muttered Garu, immediately trying to help him up off the ground, "I'm sorry—"  
"_Oh, you will be…_" Tobe growled under his breath. "You will be. Look. Look at this. LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" He angrily pointed to the two deep incisions across his forehead, crossing over each other in almost-perfect symmetry, forming the shape of an X. "This will never leave my face. This will remain a permanent scar, forever! It will never go away! It will serve as a reminder of this day, a reminder of _you_, and what I need to do to put an end to you once and for all. Do you hear me? I won't rest until you are no more!"  
"But—"  
"NO MORE!"  
Tobe dashed off from the scene, still shouting "NO MORE!" behind him for the majority of the way.

"Man," Garu sighed heavily, "what have I just started?"  
~_End of flashback_~

"Wow, so this _is _all my fault," Pucca buried her face into her pillow.

"No, it's not entirely your fault. I was the one that has to screw everything up with my total klutzness."  
Pucca giggled. "You are a klutz, Garu." She leaned in and smooched him. "But I still love you."  
"Yeah…" he sighed, "but it's the reason this whole fight started. It's the reason we became enemies. And, if you really want to think that far ahead, it's the reason he's dead right now."  
Pucca's head sunk, and her eyes began to well up with tears again, though she tried to fight them as best as she could.

"Pucca…" Garu muttered, wrapping his arms around her to comfort her, "don't worry. He was troubled, he knew what he needed to do. Everything happens for a reason, you know."  
"I guess your right," she leaned up against his chest, hugging him firmly. "I just wish I knew what the reason be…"

"As I do. But sadly, we may never know. Sometimes, that's just how the world works."  
Pucca closed her eyes and whispered, "…_cruel world_." 


	3. Blue Skies

"Ah, the beauty of nature… everything so perfectly placed in its rightful space, everything just as it should be.

"Look how these blue skies are overcome by clouds, a violent storm about to rage. You may think downly of it, but rage not, for every storm must lead to yet another blue sky. That's just the way it goes. No matter how violent the storm may be; a drizzle, a downpour, a hurricane, if you must, always let it pass with as much ease as you can muster, and let the blue flood the sky through its slow, natural path, and not by the way you manipulate it, unless you want to end up with hail.

"I believe, after all these years of waiting through raging storms, I've finally found you, Pucca, my deep sky of blue."  
"Wow, Tobe… that's beautiful."  
"Is it not? Now, ease closer and let the gentle edges of dawn meet their horizon."  
He leaned in as he gently took her face in his hands and placed his lips upon hers, the sun finally beginning to rise as he did so.

The two lovers kissed beneath the open blue skies, a single splinter of sunlight illuminating their faces, another storm about to move in.

"Geez," whined Abyo, "why is it always raining in this place?"

"I have no clue…" replied Ching.

"Kinda adds to all this depression, doesn't it?"  
Ching squeezed some raindrops out of her hair and sighed. "I know. That seems to be what this village is all about lately, sadly…"

"Speaking of which, how are things going with you and your dad?"  
"Haven't seen him in days. Still won't talk to me. And to tell the truth, I really don't want to talk to him either. Things used to be so tight between the two of us, and now, after you came along, things have been so… awkward. Like he's got something really important to say to me, but as long as you're still in my presence, he just can't seem to get it out."  
"He's probably just upset, you know, his little girl growing up and what not."  
"Yeah, I know, but he wouldn't have been like that at all if I had gone with Garu. I wonder if he's worried that…"  
"…what?"  
Ching hesitated, her breath holding still, ready to voice her concerns, but before she could get one syllable out, they were interrupted.

"Why hello there, Abyo…" her warm grin turned into a smirk. "Hello Ching."

Ching groaned. "What do you want now, Ring Ring?"  
"Oh, well, excuuuuuuse me. Just because I decide to be friendly towards the two of you, it suddenly implies that I _want _something?"  
Abyo scratched the back of his head. "Well, you're not generally a friendly person, ya know."  
Ring Ring growled, red streaks slowly appearing on her face, but she did her best to hold them back. "Listen, I want you to tell Pucca that… that I'm sorry."  
"_What_?" The two exclaimed at the exact same time.  
"I know how upset she is about what happened, and frankly, I would be too. She really didn't deserve what happened to her. But, you know, things happen. Besides, it was probably for the better any way. That Tobe was one ugly…--"  
Before she could finish what she was going to say, she was suddenly tackled to the ground by a raging Pucca, who had just appeared out of nowhere. Ring Ring screamed as Pucca tugged at her hair and clawed her face off, her eyes red with tears.  
"Okay. Okay… OKAY! ENOUGH PUCCA! I didn't mean it! Really… I'M SORRY!"

Pucca froze, finally beginning to calm down, tears streaming down her face. "I, I'm… _sorry_!" She suddenly fled from the scene, crying her eyes out.  
"Yeesh…" said Ring Ring, "It was only…"  
Pucca whipped her head around, angry, ready to strike again. Ring Ring shook in terror, and muttered, "Uhh… never mind."

Pucca turned around and walked the rest of the way home, her head down, quietly sobbing.

"Well, I better get going before I screw with anyone else's mind. Peace." Ring Ring slowly began to walk away, but then suddenly froze in her path. "Oh hey, that reminds me. If you twos ever find anyone with some kind of strange birthmark on their hand, can you kinda like, let me know? I might need to talk with him." And with that, she left.  
"Birthmark?" said Ching, confuzzled.  
"What could she be talking about?"  
"I don't know, but… it must be pretty important, so I guess we should keep an eye out for it."  
"Alright then." 

Garu was still back at the Goh Ryong, cleaning tables, when suddenly, Dada came flying out of nowhere, tumbling to the ground, as usual, dirty plates flying everywhere. Food splattered all over Garu's left glove.

"Crap…" He groaned. "Dada, can't you be less of a klutz sometimes?"

"You're sure one to talk…" Dada muttered uneasily, and slunk back into the kitchen to grab a broom.

Garu removed his Jajang soaked glove, when something caught his eye.

"Huh…" he mused, "I never realized I had this before."  
He stared down at the inside of his palm at a dark spot on his hand, almost in the shape of half of a heart, almost like, some kind of birth mark or something. "Hmm… interesting. Wonder what it means…"


	4. Crimson Tactics

~ 1 week ago ~

A still silence lingered in the forest.

Dark clouds draped overhead.

A bleach blonde figure dashed by in a blur, causing three trees to be detatched from their roots.

Her head high in the air, she took in the sweet scent of fresh human blood. She smiled in delight.

She ran with a hypnotic gaze in her eyes, only to be suddenly snapped out of her trance by a boy, who appeared to be the age of 14, with short black hair, fairly tan skin, and no shirt on. He screamed as she nearly ran him over, stopping abruptly in her path.

Dust cleared from the air, and she growled through her teeth. "What were you thinking? Standing in my way like that… I could have killed you!"

He stared at this mysterious girl with confused eyes.

This girl had an appearance much similar to Pucca's, except she had two blonde buns atop her head, and she was clothed in midnight blue.

"Pucca?" he said, confuzzled, "What did you do to your hair? And your clothes… this isn't like you at all!"  
"Pucca? I do not know this name of which you speak."  
"Huh? But you…"  
"Well, now that we're here, I might as well introduce myself…" She placed her hand over her chest and said, "My name is Vanessa Edwards. But you can call me Nessie."  
"Well, hi there, Nessie," he said with a sly grin. "You know, it's not often I come across a girl like you. Whadda ya say, sweetie?"  
She grimaced. "Don't you already have a girlfriend?"  
"Well, you know I, um… yes." He backed away, turning three shades of red. "Hey, wait a minute… how did you know that?"  
"Oh, well, guess I read your mind."

"Yeah. Hey, where were you running off to in such a hurry anyway?"  
"That's none of your business, thank you very much. Speaking of which, I should probably get going before it gets away. Well, nice meeting you—uh…"

"Abyo."  
"…Well, nice meeting you, Abyo." And with that, she dashed from the scene. Abyo watched, his mouth agape, as her figure so quickly became a blur, and muttered to himself, "What is she talking about?"

Nessie continued to speed to the far edges of the forest, finally reaching the end, greeted by a bright light shining through the trees. She covered her eyes in irritation.

_Dammit_… she thought, _I thought it was supposed to storm all day. Well, I better find cover…_

She rushed through the sunlit fields as fast as she possibly could, her energy being drained, and her skin being charred over by the second.

…_And fast_.

The scent of fresh blood tickled her nose again, much stronger this time, seeming to be getting more present the farther she went in that fixed direction. What ever it was, she knew she had to catch it fast, before she became a dry, lifeless husk.

She continued to pull herself forward in that direction, until she had finally reached the source of this scent:  
A lair.

She ran up to the doors, her throat burning, and she peered through the window, holding her breath in discomfort—and disbelief.

There was a boy lying on the ground in a large pool of crimson blood, a sword drawn straight through his heart, his eyes squeezed shut in silent agony.

She continued to stare, eyes wide, ignoring the pain in her airways, a warm feeling beginning to rush over her ice cold being.

_He's beautiful_…

Her hands trembling, she reached for the door, and quickly yanked her hand away.

_No… I can't. I can't hurt him._

_I'll never be able to live with myself if I let him die._

_But if I go in there, who knows what kind of toll that will take on my psychological being?_

_Well… I guess that's a risk I'll just have to take._

She held her breath.

_I will not let him die._

She clasped her hand over her nose and her mouth, reached for the doorknob once more, and made her way in.

Inside, there was a large crowd of ninjas surrounding him; some crying, some running in circles and freaking out, and some checking his pulse over and over, shaking their heads in disappointment. She had to push a few of them out of the way to get to this boy.

She grabbed a hold of him and yanked the sword right out of his chest, blood splattering up onto her face. She winced as the drops trickled down her face, slowly fighting the urge to go crazy.

She held her ear to the boy's chest, and she heard absolutely nothing. She began to panic, when suddenly, she began to recall her last lecture with her grandmother, where she had learned how to inject blood into a human being. It was a skill that required great patience, and a whole great deal of self-control, and back when she was first learning about it, she had rolled her eyes, groaning, saying, "_Grandmother… why do we need to know this? When will we _ever _need to use it in the real world_?" Though now, she couldn't have been any more grateful for this helpful tactic.

Nessie could feel her entire body trembling. She hadn't fed on anybody in over three days, and even one single drop of blood upon her tongue could cause her to go totally mad. But she sucked in her breath, ignoring this delightful aroma in the air, and she readied herself to do what she knew she had to do to save this boy.

She opened her mouth slightly, baring her fangs, and she sucked in the blood that was surrounding him, and she sunk her fangs into each place on his body, re-injecting his blood into his veins, slowly and carefully, burst by burst, until he had finally began to retain some of his color.

She took in one last mouthful of blood and bit into the area right where his heart was, and his eyes suddenly shot wide open as she did so. He looked up at her, trembling, unable to speak, still in great pain and complete shock.

She looked into his dark amber eyes for the very first time, a warm grin upon her face, and she said, "I don't know who you are. In fact, I've never seen you in my life. But don't worry, everything will be okay. I promise." She hesitated for a moment. "…Though, I should probably get you to a hospital."

She swooped him up into her arms, dashed out the door, and rushed to the nearest hospital in under two seconds flat. By the time that she had arrived, the boy was already unconscious again. She slammed the doors open and began crying out for a medic. Everyone in the waiting room gasped in horror as his bloodied body draped limply over her arms.

A nurse finally rushed into the room, nearly fainting from all the blood, and they got him into their care as fast as they could.

Hours later, he finally began to awaken.

He looked up at her face, his blurred vision slowly coming back into focus. He was still speechless.

She, too, had little to say. All she could do was stare into his beautiful eyes, slowly falling into a trance again. Finally, she whispered, "…You're safe now."

"I… what just happened? Who are you?"  
"My name is Nessie. I saved your life."  
"…Thank you. I appreciate it greatly."  
She giggled, her face staying the same pale shade of white, though she knew she was bright red on the inside. "So… your name is?"  
He stared at her for many moments, slowly taking it all in, before finally replying, "Tobe."

They both looked at each other, a smile appearing on each of their faces, pulling each other into a trance, a trance neither of them would, could—or even wanted to escape from.


	5. Realization

"Ring Ring Sinclair,"

"Yes?"  
"Your mail is here."

"Thank you."  
She snatched the envelopes out of his hands and shut the door.

"Hmm… let's see here: Teen Vogue, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton, Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga, Dada… hm, that one goes in the trash," She tossed the envelope aside and continued. "Lady Gaga, Lady Gaga—hey, a letter from Uncle Anjo? Huh, must be outdated. He died over 10 years ago.

"Well, maybe I should just take a peek…"

She placed her fingertips over the letter, slowly beginning to let it unfold, when suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door, causing her to jump and rip the letter in two. "Grrrr… WHO'S THERE?"

"I-I-It's me, R-Ring Ring…" mumbled a voice.

"Dada?"  
She opened the doors of her 5-story apartment to Dada, who was bright red, shaking, stuttering nervously.

"Dada, what are you doing here?"  
"Well, I, um, wanted to talk to you, and, um, just, um, I um…"

"Ugh… spit it out dish boy!"

"Alright, I have a confession to make; a confession so deep, so sincere and honest, it will leave you speechless,"

Ring Ring stood impatiently. "I'm waiting,"

"Okay, here goes… I'm the one who broke your flat iron!"  
"You _what_!"

"I-I'm so sorry! I've been collecting personal items from your bathroom without you knowing, including your hairbrush, your shower cap, your toothbrush… and when I reached for your flat iron, IT FELL OUT THE WINDOW!"

"That was YOU? You STALKER!"  
"I know, I'm sorry… I just, I really love you, Ring Ring, and I figured, you know, since we'd end up living together anyways…"  
"GUH! ENOUGH! I don't want to hear any more of those thoughts that go through your little stalkerish mind. Please, just leave me be! I've got important business to attend to…"

"Like what?"  
"Pff… nothing _you _would be interested in. You know, family stuff."  
"Family stuff…?"  
"Alright alright, if you must know… I just recently found out that I have a brother! —Who I supposedly haven't seen in over 12 years… and he's living somewhere here in Sooga Village!"  
"Oh my!"  
"EXACTLY! I don't exactly know his name yet, or what he looks like for that matter, but I do remember that he's got the same birthmark as I do, but backwards. See?" She removed her glove and held out her right hand to Dada. There was a medium sized mark on the inside of her palm, shaped like half of a heart. "It looks just like this, but reversed, and on his left hand. I think it's supposed to form a whole heart."

Dada stared in awe, trying desperately to remember where he'd seen it before.

He thought long and hard, until it finally clicked.

"Uh, Ring Ring?"  
"Yes?"  
"Um…" he tried to remember the day before, back in the Goh Ryong, when Garu had taken off his glove after he spilled food all over it. He remembered seeing him examine that mark on his hand when he had returned with the broom. But was it the same mark?  
Same, or not the same, it was worth a shot.

"Ring Ring, I believe I might know who your brother is."  
"You do? Well… _WHO IS HE?_"

"It's Garu! He has the birthmark you were just talking about! I saw it before my own eyes, yesterday, at the Goh Ryong. He took off his left glove, and it was there!"  
"Garu? But that's impossible! I'm a Sinclair, while he's a —" She held her breath, staring blankly at her hand, turning a shade of ghostly white, as she muttered the word, "…Sanada."  
"Sanada… _Sinclair_?"  
"Of course! Now I remember… my mother's maiden name was _Sanada_! She took it back after she and my father separated. My brother took our mother's last name, while I took my father's."  
"Which is… Sinclair?"  
"Exactly. We were separated at the tender age of two… I moved with my mother back to South Korea, while Garu stayed in British Columbia with Dad."  
"Wait, I'm confused. If you stayed with your mom, and Garu with your dad, then why did you take the opposite last names?"  
"………I didn't make that decision, okay? Oh my God… I need to tell Garu!" She sprinted halfway towards the door, paused, and then turned back to Dada. "Thank you SOO much Dada!" She grabbed him and squeezed him in a tight embrace. "I really appreciate it!" She turned around and hastily made her way out the door and down five staircases, stopping halfway down the third stairway to fix her hair, and continued running.

She ran, and ran, until she finally found him in the streets.  
"GARU!"


	6. Delirious

Pucca had been sound asleep for hours after Garu had finally left. And for once in a really long time, it had actually been a peaceful sleep. No nightmares, no waking up every ten minutes, anticipating something will happen, or someone will show up back from the dead…

Someone tapped her on the shoulder, awaking her from her slumber. When she turned her head to see who it was, this mysterious figure leaned in so that their noses were touching, and he softly brushed his lips against hers.

She smiled. "I've been waiting for you…"

"As I have," Outside the window, the storm ceased, and the clouds began to disappear. "Ah, I've been wondering when these clouds would finally clear up. Now, I'll finally be able to see my blue sky again."

"It's about time."  
He was about to lean in for another kiss, when suddenly, he remembered something. "Oh, by the way, I took care of Garu for you."  
"You… what?"

"Now we don't have to worry about him anymore."  
"Wait, you, Garu… what? Where is he?"  
He pointed up towards the ceiling.

"But, you… why would you—"  
"It's… what you wanted, right?"  
Pucca sat motionless on her bed. She tried to speak, but she couldn't even muster a sound. She just stared straight forward in disbelief, disbelief in herself.

She knew he was right, but how?

Did she really stop caring about Garu completely? After everything that happened, she thought that she had went with the right decision, and yet she still denied it.

What _was _the right decision anyway?  
It's either one or the other.

Not both.

But which one?  
Pucca breathed heavily and stared at the window, the skies fading from a boisterous blue to a pale white. Pretty soon the sky was drained of all its color, and it was completely empty.

That's when Pucca finally woke up.

For real this time.

She panicked when she saw nothing but blackness, and she began screaming and pounding her fists into her bed, crying her eyes out. She thought she had really faded into nothing.

It was fifteen seconds later that she realized that all she needed to do was lift her face from her pillow.

She glanced around the room, slowly catching her breath, tears falling down her cheeks.

She couldn't take any more of this. She needed to go for a walk, _alone_.

She forced herself out of her bed and dragged herself down the stairs, stopped along the way to the door by the concerned chefs. They asked if she was alright, and she reassured them that she was perfectly okay, and that she just needed to take a walk to clear her mind. The chefs reluctantly agreed, despite it being 2:33 AM, for none of them were in the mood to face a distraught Pucca.

They had learned from experience that that was never a good thing to have to face.

Pucca walked around the entire village three times before finally stopping to rest. The sun was just barely beginning to rise over the horizon, and there were a few more clouds moving in. A few raindrops hit her face. She sighed.

_Where oh where did those blue skies go_?

_They disappeared months ago._

_And when they finally had the nerve to return,_

_They only had the will to burn_.

Pucca imagined what it would be like to step into a fire, what it would feel like. It would sure bring great pain, a radiating heat so great you could hardly even feel it anymore, numbed by the scorching pain. You would feel your entire body being charred from the inside out, wanting to be anywhere but in the position you're in. Even death would seem more promising then that scorching pain.

_Pain so deep it can't be felt,_

_In what method should this pain be dealt?_

_If only I knew, if only I knew,_

_Maybe I would be reunited with the blue._

Pucca watched as the sun continued to rise. It had to be at least 5 AM now. Everyone in the village was sound asleep but her.

_My eyes remain open, I silently yawn,_

_Waiting here at the break of dawn,_

_The rest of the city fast asleep,_

_And this exhausting sense of insomnia I keep._

Pucca yawned.

_It's so early in the morn,_

_I feel so weak, and tired, and worn,_

_Shall I return? Or shall I stay here til late?_

_Either way, I still feel deprived of great._

Pucca began to feel restless. She knew she was overtired, but she was at the point of being so overtired that she was suddenly filled with great energy, and she found it difficult to stand still.

So she decided to walk around town. Again.

She strolled at an easy pace, until suddenly, she began to have an odd feeling that she was being… watched.

Watched by someone in the distance.

And yet she looked around only to see nothing but empty streets and buildings that were still closed. Slightly anxious, she gradually began to increase her pace to the point where she was actually running.

She ran through the streets of Sooga, trying desperately to escape this feeling of paranoia, but it still lingered with her no matter how fast or far she traveled.  
And trust me, that was _fast_.

She ran, and ran, until she came to an abrupt stop, crashing into a random passerby on the street. They both tripped over each other and tumbled onto the ground.

Pucca rubbed her head. "I'm sorry. I really need to watch where I'm going."  
"I'll say…" the voice growled.

That voice.

She knew that voice.

Pucca froze.

She slowly raised her head, and she looked up to see none other than…

Ring Ring.

"Geez, Pucca, do you have to be such a klutz? I bet you inherited that from your lousy boyfriend, didn't you?"

"He's not lousy…" she muttered, trying to come up with another snappy comeback, but words failed her. She just wasn't in the mood to fight with her.

"What ever _you _say. Now please, get out of my way, so I can get back to my apartment. I've got some stuff I need to figure out."  
"Stuff?"  
"Family stuff. You probably wouldn't understand."  
"…okay."  
"Later."

Ring Ring flashed from the scene, and Pucca watched her fade off into the distance.

_Family stuff_?

Pucca immediately became curious, but she realized that it probably wouldn't affect her in any way, so she tried to forget about it.

She definitely didn't have the energy to try and ponder a subject like that.

Come to think of it, she hardly had any energy left whatsoever.

She continued staring off into space, her mind going blank, and her eyes growing shut. In three seconds, she fell to the ground and went into a deep sleep.

"Pucca!"  
She heard a voice call out to her. When she thought that she had recognized the voice, her head immediately shot up. She could see him standing right in front of her, and still so far away.

His black hair blowing in the breeze, his dark skin illuminated by the blinding sunlight, that scar still etched across his forehead. She stared in awe, and disbelief, until the scar began to fade, and his skin began to grow paler and paler, until it was almost white.

And his dark amber eyes morphed back into the same olive green they had always been.

Pucca groaned.

These hallucinations were really getting old…

"Pucca! You're uncles are waiting for you back at the Goh Ryong. They're really worried."  
"Garu, what are you talking about?"

"Well, they told me you left last night, and you hadn't returned since."  
"Haven't… returned…. since?" she panted.

"It's almost noon, Pucca. You better get back before the chefs send out a search party for you."  
"Noon? Shoot! Garu, why didn't you come sooner?"  
"Ring Ring stopped me in the middle of the street. She told me she had something "really important" to tell me. I told her that it had to wait. She bugged me for miles on end, until I finally lost her. Sorry about the delay."

"It's alright, Garu. I have to get back home. See you later,"

She kissed him on the cheek and ran off to the Goh Ryong, which was basically on the opposite side of town from where she fell asleep. By the time she returned, it was almost 1 in the afternoon.

When she opened the door, the three chefs greeted her with tight embraces and tear soaked faces.

"Pucca!" cried her Uncle Dumpling, "thank heavens you're alright!"

"Uncle Dumpling…" Pucca said, beginning to get choked up.

"We were so worried about you, we thought you might have been kidnapped."  
"…or dead." Ho added bluntly.

"Guys, I… I'm sorry. I promise I'll never leave the house that late… well, early actually… ever again."

"Oh, you sure as hell won't be, because you're grounded."

"But, Uncle Dumpling…!"  
"No buts, Pucca. This is for your own good. We can't allow you to go out there and get yourself into any other kinds of trouble,"

"We've had enough of that for the past year," Linguini complained.

"Indeed," added Ho. "It's very interrupting to the hard work we do around here. We want to bring in customers, not turn them away with your tears and your constant sulking. And as for Garu—"  
"Garu had nothing to do with this! He was only trying to help! But a situation like this can't be helped on its own… and, and I feel like you guys are only trying to make it worse!"  
"Pucca—"  
"You've never been through what I'm going through right now. I know you haven't. You've never had to experience this kind of pain, this agony, of losing someone you care about. And someone who cares equally for you back, and would do anything for you, and… would put his life in harm's way just to keep me breathing…" Pucca took a deep breath, and continued. "You've never experienced heartache the way I do. I bet you've never even experienced true love! All you do is cook. You never leave the restaurant. It's all you care about. It's all you think about. And I feel as though every time a customer enters… I'm just being pushed farther and farther away from your mindset," Pucca perked her head up and turned towards the door. "Well, you've pushed me far enough, and now, I've got my head out the door," She took another step forward. "And now my foot. And my arm. And my—"  
"Pucca…!"  
"GOODBYE!"

Pucca slammed the door behind her and ran across the street, making sure the chefs couldn't see her out the window.

The three of them stood in silence, all looking at each other with a sense of remorse.

Uncle Dumpling finally broke the silence. "Well, we can't waste our time standing around like this… we should get cooking!" he paused, still surrounded by silence. "…right?"

The three of them sighed wistfully, and gave a small nod.

Pucca crouched behind a bush and began sobbing.

The only reason I'm still living is because I have Garu. If something were to suddenly happen to him, what would be worth living for anymore?

Why have I suddenly reached this point of negativity, depression, the inability to trust others? I used to be the opposite, but now… I don't know what I am.

I just want to die right now…

Pucca buried her face in her hands and quietly sobbed, trying to think of ways she could end her life quickly and painlessly.

If only Garu were there right now…

He would be able to talk her out of it.

God… what am I doing? What have I become? This isn't like me at all. This is…

"There you are. I'm so glad I found you."  
Pucca's head shot up, startled by this stranger's kind gestures.

"Here, let me help you," the stranger took her delicate hands in his masculine ones and gently lifted her from the ground. Pucca continued to look down, tears still in her eyes.

"You know I hate to see you like this…"

Pucca sniffed, still staring straight at the ground.

"But I know just how to fix that…" the stranger took her face in his hands and kissed her softly upon her lips. Pucca opened her eyes and immediately went into shock.

No, it can't be…

Pucca separated herself from the stranger, letting out a high pitched scream. "What's going on here? What are you doing? You can't be here… you aren't him! You can't fool me! Why, I should punish you for trying! You think you can just come up to me and—"  
"Your eyes, so red, like the crimson of blood, the blood you shed through love, and pain. The way you suffer for the ones you love, why, it brings flutters to my heart, crimson to my being, a passion so deep inside of me, it can't even be described through words. It can only be shown through a loving kiss, a kiss between you and I. A kiss so dear…" he pressed his lips against hers in another kiss. "it can only be felt between you and I."  
Pucca's eyes brimmed with tears. Not the kind she had been shedding for the past week, but tears of relief, tears of joy, tears of euphoria.

"TOBE!" she squealed, tackling him to the ground. "Oh my god… it's you! You're really here! But… how?"

"It's a rather interesting story, actually. You see, after I stabbed myself, I went unconscious for awhile, when suddenly, I was awakened with a jolt, a rush through my veins, by a mysterious girl I had never seen in my life. Later on, she told me that she had used a syringe to reinject all the blood I had lost, and when I had finally woken up, she had her head pressed against my chest, most likely checking my pulse, I'm guessing. She really saved my life. I wouldn't even be speaking to you right now if she hadn't came along. It was quite the miracle."

"You said it was a girl?"

"Yes. Her name was Nessie, I believe. She was 15 years old, a year younger than I, and she looked a whole lot like you, except blonde, and much paler."

"I see."

"So… still with Garu?"  
Pucca nodded.

Tobe winced. "And you're sure you're happy with the decision you made, right?"  
Pucca hesitated for a few seconds, not sure about what her response should be.  
"Because though I'm still madly in love with you, and I'd give anything to be with you again, all I want for you is to be happy. And even if that means you still decide to choose Garu over me… I'm okay with that. I want you to know that. I don't want you to feel guilty because of what you want."

Just when she though she was done crying, more tears continued to fill her eyes. "Tobe, I… thank you." She held him in a tight embrace. "I still love you, I really hope you know that. But Garu… he's something really special to me. I'd never be able to let go of him even if I tried. I need him."  
"And I'm sure he feels the exact same way about you."

"I know he does. I feel so lucky to have someone like him."  
"And he's very lucky to have someone like you."

They both grinned at each other and sighed a sigh of relief. They continued to hold each other, until suddenly, Tobe separated himself from Pucca and peered off into the distance, his smile beginning to fade.

"Tobe, what is it?"  
"Garu…"

"What about Garu?"  
"I knew this would happen sooner or later."  
"Tobe, what are you talking about?"  
"Look."  
Pucca turned over her shoulder to see Garu talking to Ring Ring. He had her hand in his, and in moments they were locked into a tight embrace.

Pucca held her breath in disbelief.

"Pucca, are you okay?"

Pucca could feel her mind racing, her head spinning, and she sunk to the ground, passing out.

"Pucca!"


	7. A Startling Discovery

"I have to get home. See you, Garu."

Pucca fled from the scene, and Garu stood alone in silence. Moments later, this silence was broken by another girl shouting his name.

"Garu!"  
Garu flinched. He really didn't feel like facing her at that moment. He wanted to just run, run far away, but he knew that doing so would be rude, so he instead continued to stand perfectly still, pretending not to hear her.

"Garu, please! You need to listen to me. This is _important_!"

"…Fine. What is it, Ring Ring?"

"Okay," she caught her breath. "…okay. What I'm about to tell you, it's… oh, I don't really know how you're going to take it, but… um…" Ring Ring began hyperventilating again.

"Just get on with it, Ring Ring!"  
"Okay," she said, her voice shaky, "here goes…" she took a deep breath, a long silence building up on the already heightened anticipation. "I'm your long lost sister!"

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me, Garu? I said… I'm your sister. We're related."

Garu's face flushed pale. "But, that's crazy! It—_we _can't be!"

"I know, it's hard to believe, but I'm telling you nothing but truth. Please, you need to listen to what I'm trying to tell you and let me explain."  
Garu raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "…Okay, explanation please."

Ring Ring scratched her head, until it came to her.

The evidence.

"Garu, take your left glove off."  
"Why…"  
"Just do it!"

"Fine." Garu removed his glove, and Ring Ring removed hers. They held their hands together, and both of their eyes grew wide. For what seemed like 5 minutes straight, the two of them just stared at each other in disbelief, throats tight, unable to speak.

Garu finally spoke. "I…" he cleared his throat. "I can't believe it."

"Now do you believe me?"

"… I do. I just… I don't know how this could be possible. You, me… blood relatives."

"Yeah… it's…"  
"…Weird." Garu paused. "Man. Wait until I tell Pucca about this—"  
"No! You can't! We don't know how she'll take it. She hates my guts. And to think we're going to be in-laws one day…"  
Garu's face turned bright red. "_What_?"  
"Well Garu, you know it was bound to happen one day, I mean, it's soooo obvious you two were going to end up together."  
Garu sighed and giggled nervously.

"We can't tell anyone about this startling discovery. For the sake of you, me, our family, Sooga Village, and the rest of the world."  
"Uhh… the world? Don't you think you're over exaggerating just a bit?"  
"…Maybe a bit." Ring Ring looked Garu in the eyes. "This will only be between us. Promise?"

Garu hesitated for a lengthy period of time, still taking it all in, before somberly replying, "…okay. I promise."

The two of them smiled and locked into a friendly embrace, when suddenly, Garu was knocked to the ground by a familiar stranger, accompanied by a sword to his chest.

Ring Ring gasped in horror.  
Garu just lied there, frozen, unable to breathe.

He swallowed, and stared up at the stranger's face… 


	8. Clarification

Garu stared up at the stranger's face and immediately went pale.  
"Tobe?"  
"Yes, Garu, it is I, Tobe. Back in the open. Alive, and ready to put you to an end once and for all."

"But…I, _Tobe_…" Garu stuttered, wincing in pain.  
"You should be _lucky_ that she chose you over me. You should be _grateful_ that she still loves you the way she once loved me. Yet, after everything that happened, you're just going to go and break her heart _again_, despite the fact that she chose to stay with you, thinking that you had changed? What is _she _going to think? Was I right this entire time? Were you no good for her from the start?"

Garu continued to lie there, confused, startled by what Tobe was saying.

"Look, Garu, I just wanted what was best for her. I… I love her…" Tobe glanced back at Pucca, who was still passed out, and closed his eyes, fighting tears. "And… and if you're going to treat her this way after everything she's been through for _you_, than _you _don't deserve to be loved by her that way!"

Tobe raised his sword, ready to do his business, but Ring Ring stopped him.  
"Hey!" she shouted. "Stay away from my brother, you jerk!"  
"Brother?" Tobe said, eyes wide. "So, that means, you two are—"  
"Yeah, we kinda just found out ourselves…" muttered Garu.

"Please, don't tell anyone…" begged Ring Ring. "You don't know what chaos could ensue if you did. Please…"  
Tobe hesitated, before replying, "…Very well. I'll keep your little secret between us," Tobe put his sword away. "But I need some clarification on one thing: you two weren't really, you know…"  
"No!" they both shouted in unison.

Garu shuddered. "It was a friendly hug between family, and nothing else."  
"Whew…" Tobe sighed. "You had me worried there. Well, since there's really no wrong towards Pucca being done here, I guess I'll be on my way… for now."  
Tobe left, and Ring Ring and Garu both sighed a breath of relief.

"Good thing Pucca's still out cold… otherwise she would have overheard our entire conversation."

"Yeah, good thing…" replied Garu.

Ring Ring raised an eyebrow. "So, did I miss something here?"  
"What do you mean?"

"Tobe. And… Pucca. They were…" Ring Ring gulped, "…in love?"  
"It's kind of a long story. I don't really want to talk about it."  
"…Well, if it makes you uncomfortable, I guess I understand," Ring Ring bit her lip and looked down at her feet. "I better get out of here before _she _wakes up."  
"…You're probably right about that."  
"Well, see you around, Garu… _brother_." The word still felt weird, and somewhat awkward leaving her lips, but she knew that it would never fade, so she decided that she better get used to it.

As soon as Ring Ring left, Garu walked over to Pucca and swept her up into his arms. "Pucca…" he whispered, gently caressing her face with his hand. He kissed her softly upon her lips, causing her to awaken.

"Garu…"

"It's okay, Pucca. I'm here now."  
"Garu,"  
"Yes?"  
"I just had a frightening dream. A sweet nightmare. It was so beautiful, and yet, so heart-wrenching at the exact same time."  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "You were with Ring Ring. I saw you two hugging, and holding hands, and… you looked like you were ready to kiss her."  
A wave of anxiety, and guilt, went through Garu's stomach. What she saw wasn't really what she thought she had seen, but how would he be able to explain it to her without revealing their secret?

"I'm sorry, Pucca…" was all he could muster.

"But that wasn't it…"  
Garu froze. "Something else happened?"  
"Yes. This time it was good, though. You see…" Pucca lowered her voice to a whisper, a sweet smile spreading across her face. "…I saw him."

"You mean…"  
"…Yes. He was alive. And he wasn't angry with me… he still loved me."

Pucca cried tears of mixed feelings, and Garu wrapped his arms around her. "I'm glad to hear that."

"But I still feel awful. It was only a dream, after all. That doesn't make it reality."  
"Don't worry, I bet he still keeps you in his thoughts. And…" Garu turned so that they were both facing up towards the sky. "I bet he's watching over you right now."

Garu hated lying to her, but he also hated watching her suffer, so he decided to continue with his charade.

"You know what?" Pucca sniffed. "I bet you're right. Thank you, Garu."

Pucca nuzzled up into his neck, holding him close, until suddenly, her eyes shot open, and she shot Garu a deadly glare.

"Garu…"

Garu laughed anxiously, preparing himself for what was ahead of him.

"It wasn't a dream! I remember now… you lied to me! And you were cheating on me! And—" Pucca stopped abruptly, calming down a bit. "…he's still out there somewhere! I have to find him!" Pucca began to run, but froze in her tracks. She turned to Garu, still furious. "You, me, talk. Later…"

Pucca ran off in haste, and Garu stood there, mentally cursing himself.

_Damn… _he thought, _just when I finally get myself out of one mess, another one unfolds_…


	9. Nessie

Pucca ran through endless miles of forest before she finally reached his lair.

_He must be here…_ she thought. _He just has to be. Where else would he have to go_?

Pucca ran up to the doors and slowly cracked them open, until she could finally see a figure moving around.

_It's him_…

"Tobe?" she called, pushing the doors open the rest of the way, only to see not Tobe, but another girl.

"What the…?"  
The girl was holding onto one of the ninjas, and she had her face pressed into his neck. The ninja appeared scared, and almost lifeless under its mask.

Pucca stood there, trembling, unsure of what was happening.

The girl turned her head to see Pucca, horror flashing across her face, and she quickly loosened her grasp on the ninja, letting him fall limply onto the floor in front of her, blood seeping through his shirt.

The two girls stood frozen, staring awkwardly at each other, both in complete shock.

_What… was _that? Pucca took a closer look at the girl. She had a hairstyle similar to hers, but her hair was bleach blonde, and her skin was nearly the color of paper.

Blonde…

_Pale…_

_Looks…like…_

…_Me._

Pucca gasped. "Um… excuse me, but… are you Nessie?"  
"Yes, I am," she replied, holding her breath. "How do you know my name?"

"Tobe told me about you. Apparently, you saved his life."  
"You know Tobe?"

"Yeah…"  
"And you are…?"  
"Pucca. His ex-girlfriend."  
Nessie examined Pucca. _He never told me he had a girlfriend_… "Well…" she said, pursing her lips, "…nice to meet you."

Pucca grinned. "Back at you."  
"You seem nice. We should talk sometime. Why don't you meet me tonight in the forest, you know, as soon as it's dark?"  
"Umm… okay then."

"Great! See you then."  
"Right…"  
As soon as Pucca left, Nessie picked up the ninja and placed him on a cot.

Feeding time was over… for now.

The day passed, and so did the daylight. The minute the sun went down, Nessie rushed out of the lair and deep into the forest.

_Where is she? She should have been here by now_…

Just then, Nessie turned over her shoulder to see Pucca standing in solitude behind a tree.

She was just about ready to prepare herself to leap into action, when suddenly, she heard a noise rustling in the bushes.

_Oh crap… I've been spotted_.

She looked over her shoulder to see that same annoying, amorous boy she had met when she first arrived at Sooga.

But what was his name again?  
Ando?  
Abisto?

"Nessie! What a coincidence, seeing you here again, in the exact same spot as last time… heh, maybe it was meant to be. What do you think?"  
_Abyo_.

"Abyo… what in God's name are you doing here?"

"Well, I sorta came here to see Ching, but… it looks like she's a no show. So I guess it's just you and me then, hey babe?"

Nessie smacked Abyo across the face.

"Shh…" she whispered, "she'll hear us."  
"What? _Who_?"  
Nessie groaned. "Ehm… never mind. Just… pretend I didn't say anything to you."  
"What do you mean? Nessie, what's going on here?"  
"Uhhhh….."

Just then, Pucca spotted them and began walking towards them. "Oh, there you are. I've been waiting for you since sundown, just like you said."  
"As I have…"  
"Uh, Nessie?" Abyo choked, slightly trembling behind her.

"Abyo?" exclaimed Pucca. "What are you—"  
"Run, Pucca! She's up to something… I can tell!"  
"You, shut your mouth!" snapped Nessie. "Now, before I tear you apart!"

"Is that a threat… or a promise?" Abyo replied coyly.

Nessie growled, baring her fangs at him, and quickly turned her attention back to Pucca. A demonic smile spread across her face. "You're mine now, girl…"

Pucca shook in terror as the vampire crept closer and closer towards her, ready to strike.

"PUCCA!" cried Abyo, suddenly leaping into action.

At that moment, everything became a blur. 


	10. Close to Perfection

**~Pucca's P.O.V.~**

"Pucca, run!"  
I stood frozen in shock. My body wouldn't budge.

What was her motive behind this?

I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing myself to get mauled to pieces by a bloodthirsty vampire, when suddenly, I heard two gasps, and my eyes immediately shot open.

One came from Abyo, still trembling in fear behind Nessie, and the other came from Nessie herself, as she stood wide-eyed before me, frozen in her attacking position.

She looked straight at me, then at Abyo, who was now in shock as well, then back at me. Before I knew what was happening, she was suddenly on the ground, face buried in her hands, crying her eyes out.

Abyo and I exchanged puzzled glances, not sure of what we were supposed to do about the situation.

"…Nessie…?" Abyo murmured.

Nessie said nothing.

"Well, I guess I'll, um, see you around then…" and with that, Abyo fled from the scene, leaving me alone with her, trapped in an awkward silence.

The silence remained for a lengthy period of time, until I could have sworn I heard her mumble "Please… please forgive me…"  
Startled, my head shot down at her tightly enclosed figure. "What did you say?"  
"I'm sorry. You and your friend didn't deserve to go through that. I just… I can't believe I almost lost control of myself _again_!" Nessie cried, continuing to sob.

"I… I don't know what to say…"

"Come with me."

**~End of Pucca's P.O.V.~**

Nessie led her deeper into the forest, and the two began walking and having heart-to-heart conversations about their personal problems.

"So… that's why he did what he did. You left him."  
Pucca solemnly nodded.  
"But why?"

"It's kind of a long story… you see, there's this other guy. His name is Garu," a smile formed on Pucca's lips as she vocalized his name. "He…" Nessie could tell Pucca was trying hard to fight back tears. "…he tried to kill me."

Nessie was speechless. "Pucca, I'm so—"  
"But then, Tobe came along and… put himself between me and Garu just as he was about to get the job done. And from that moment on, I began to see a whole other side of Tobe that I've never noticed before. I never knew he cared about me so much for so long."  
Nessie remained silent.

"But after awhile, I started to realize that despite what happens, I was still going to be in love with Garu no matter what. It was inevitable. Even if he had psychological problems, I would have to look past them and see him for who I really loved him for."  
"Wow, that's deep."

"But in order for me to be able to go back to Garu, I was going to have to break up with Tobe. It was heart wrenching, but I knew what had to be done. I just never knew he was going to react so strongly…"

Nessie felt dark clouds begin to form in her head.

**~Nessie's P.O.V.~**

I don't believe it…

He saved her life.

He nearly killed himself for her.

And she's so naturally beautiful, and intelligent, and gifted…

She has absolutely everything I don't have.

Including his adoration.

Why should I even bother with him if he still loves her?

Am I wasting my time?

Would he go out of his way to save _me_?

A horrid, bloodsucking leech like me?

No.

I'm not perfect like her.

Then again, she's not perfect either.

Nobody is.

But she is a hell of a lot closer than I am right now.

Why do things like this always happen to me?

Why can't I at least get myself to _pretend _that I love who I am?

Why must it be so painfully impossible to love myself?  
And get others to love me?

Why must I be so jealous, to the point where I end up killing someone?

It's not fair.

Why me…?

**~End of Nessie's P.O.V.~**

"Pucca…" Nessie murmured, tears forming in her eyes.

"Nessie, are you alright?"  
"I-I'm fine, it's just… I have a lot of things going on right now internally."

Pucca looked into Nessie's blood-red eyes, beginning to absorb some of her pain. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Nessie clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hide her tears as best as she could, but the droplets continued to run visibly down her face. "Why…"  
"Why… what?"  
"Why… why do you have to be so _perfect_?"

"What are you talking about?"  
"I don't get it! What does he see in you that he doesn't see in me? Am I really _that _unbearable? I just… I…" Nessie stopped abruptly, choking on sobs. "…I envy you, Pucca."

"Nessie, do you mean…?"  
Nessie looked down, tears streaming down her face, and gave a small nod.

"Oh my god… Nessie, I had no idea…"

"Well, now you understand…" she scoffed through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's really not you're fault. I mean, I guess you can't help being so perfect. It just comes naturally to you. Unfortunately, we aren't all born that lucky…" Nessie began picking apart a flower that she had plucked violently from the ground.

"Please, don't do this. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You're a lot better than you think you are."  
"After what I almost just did to you? And you don't even know me yet! Maybe you should spend a little more time with me before you jump to conclusions."  
"I know, I'm sorry…"

Nessie stiffened up and let the mangled flower float freely to the ground, letting out a few more silent sobs. "It's no use. No matter what I do, he'll always love you."  
"That's not true. You saved his life. I'm sure he really appreciates what you did for him."  
"Yeah. And what do I get? A 'thank you. I appreciate it greatly'. Nothing greater. I feel as though destiny was being shoved in my face when I first saw him on that day. I felt like a new light was being shined on my being, creating newborn scars. And yet, it didn't hurt me one bit. For one of the very few times in my life, I actually felt… alive, in the literal sense. Even though that's physically impossible for someone like me, when I looked at him, I could feel the warm blood pulsing throughout my entire body, as if it was suddenly abundant again. At that moment, I could tell that he was going to be the one…" Nessie's smile fell. "Although now, seeing you, I'm slowly beginning to wonder if destiny placed me in that time and place just so he could stay alive to continue loving _you_ again… like I was just some sort of piece connecting the center of the puzzle, that things weren't meant to end up that way. I just… I don't know."

Pucca felt extreme guilt upon hearing Nessie's words. She had no idea that she cared for Tobe so deeply. At that moment, she suddenly wished to be anything but perfect. It felt disgusting. She wanted desperately to be able to do anything to cheer Nessie up, and hopefully restore some of her lost confidence, but words failed her. All she could do was rest a hand on her shoulder and whisper, "…I'm sorry."

Nessie looked up at Pucca and smiled. "…Thank you. Thank you for listening to me. Not very many people do…" she paused. "You know, you're not like everyone else. You're different."

"…That's good, right?"  
Nessie giggled. "Of course it is. You actually care; you understand me. You know, I think we're going to get along great… even if Tobe is in love with you."  
The two girls locked into a tight, friendly embrace.

"I think so too…" Pucca grinned. "You know, maybe you should just try and get to know him, and maybe one day, he'll see you the way he sees me. Or… something close to that."  
"Hah, I doubt it. But it is worth a try, I suppose. Thank you, Pucca." Nessie dashed off into the remainder of the night, just as the sun was beginning to rise.  
They had been talking until almost 5 AM.

But it was well worth it.

They had gotten to know each other much better, and they had sorted out their dilemmas with each other, so now, all ends well.

Oh, wait…

…There was still Garu.


	11. Nerves

**6:00 A.M.**

Garu tossed and turned beneath his bed sheets. He murmured something in his sleep, hugging tightly onto his pillow, a sly grin slowly making its way across his face.

Suddenly, there was a knocking, and Garu's slumber was bitterly interrupted.

"Garu!"  
"Mrhphmrrrr….." Garu mumbled.  
"It's me, Abyo! Let me in!"

"Mrfrr… Abyo? Uh… just a sec." Garu rolled over onto his side and slowly brought himself into a standing position. He shifted his back into an erect position, the sounds of firecrackers erupting from his stiffened spine.

He limped over to the door, still half-asleep, and turned the knob, allowing Abyo to access his home.

"Heh heh… good morning!" Abyo said abruptly, trying to sound as usual and content as he always did, but the after-excitement was practically exploding inside of him. He tried his best to stop shaking, but it only became worse.

"What are you doing here…" Garu groaned, not the least bit amused.

"Oh my god… you won't believe it! Really, you probably won't. But I guess I'll tell you anyways!"  
Garu sighed at Abyo's typical behavior, grabbing a comb.

"Okay… okay… OKAY…" Abyo gasped, hardly able to vocalize himself. He took a deep breath. "—"  
"ABYO!" Garu roared, violently yanking the knots out of his long, black hair with his comb. "GAH. Crap. That better grow back…" he mumbled under his breath. "Can you slow it down a bit? And what happened to my Pucca?"  
"Oh, wha—sure…" Abyo scoffed. "The one thing you get out of everything I just said…"  
"Can you please just…" Garu softened his voice a bit, calming down. "…can you please start over?"

"I know, I'm sorry… it just, it all happened so fast, and, and… and—"

"Abyo! Calm down. Why don't you start from the last moment in time that you can remember?"

"Well, I remember meeting this girl in the forest the other day. Her name was Nessie. She looked a lot like Pucca, but she had blonde hair and extremely pale skin."  
"Huh, interesting…"

"But that's not even the strangest part. When I first met her, she seemed pretty normal to me, but it was then; when she snapped at me, when she went rambling on about going after something—like some sort of predator—and the way she just bolted off at lightening speed… I'm not sure if she's one of us, Garu. Heck, I'm not even sure what she is!"

"So… tell me again what this has to do with Pucca?"

"Oh, right… _Pucca_. You see, last night, I caught Nessie lurking out in the forest with Pucca, and I intervened when things started to get suspicious. Nessie was going completely insane! She was going to kill Pucca, and I knew of it; she had that look in her eyes, that bloodthirsty tone, that sudden sense of anxiety when I asked her what was going on. But then, right as she was about to finish the job, she fell to the ground and started crying. It was totally bizarre!"

"Damn, I'm at a loss of words right now…"

"That was the moment when I dashed off. I didn't want to risk causing any other kind of trouble. Who knows what she could have done to me…"

"So you're positive that Pucca is okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine, Garu—"  
"How can you be so sure? That whole crying thing could have been an act to get you far away from there. And then, as soon as you left…" Garu clawed his hands and stabbed an imaginary sword through his gut, imitating a horror movie type scream. "…just like that."

"Garu! How could you think that way about your girlfriend? I'm sure she's still her usual self out there, skipping around the forest waiting to glomp you at any chance she gets."

Garu was dead silent. Abyo shot him a death glare. "Alright, alright, why don't we go out into the forest and see if she's still there? Well, I mean… her body, that is."  
"Sounds good to me."  
"Let's go."

Later that day, Pucca was waiting tables at the Goh Ryong, steering clear of her frazzled guardians.

The food critic was coming the next day, and they were just barely on the edge of prepared.

Just then, Uncle Dumpling appeared out of nowhere and startled Pucca, causing her to drop her dishes onto the floor. He shoved a mop at her and said, "Why don't you give us a hand instead of just standing around doing squiddly squat?"

Pucca growled. "Uncle Dumpling, I was—"

"Make sure all these floors are spotless! Sparkling! The last thing we need is the addition of a health inspector to pile more stress onto this situation."

Pucca was about to comment, but she kept silent, remembering how important this was to her uncles, and that he couldn't control his frantic behavior. It was only nerves.

Pucca had been nervous before.

Like the time she thought Garu had abandoned her. She was on the verge of insanity, until he finally showed up again, but along with him came awful news.

'_Nine days ago, I found out that you were going to die. Tonight.'_

Pucca remembered that night vividly. She was shocked when she heard the news from Garu, but even more shocked when he had other news to tell her.

This time, good news.

Because that night—that awful, blood stained night—was also the night Garu told her he loved her.

And kissed her for the first time.

Pucca smiled at the faint memory.

She was also nervous when Garu was away on his mission. She feared of him never returning, and she was so bound by those fears to the point where she stopped eating, and sleeping regularly, and functioning all together.

And then, he returned, easing her tension. This time, also with bad news to come.

'It's… about Tobe.

Last week, his ninjas returned to find him lying in a puddle of his own blood. They checked his pulse, and… nothing.'

Pucca could also remember that day with vivid detail, her eyes tearing up again, as if she was still there.

'_I told him off and just… left him there! I'm such a jerk!'_

'Why did this happen? Why…'

Even though things were okay between the two of them again, Pucca still felt great remorse towards what she did.

It was like… a scar.

It was once cut wide open, not seizing to bleed bright crimson, until finally, things were patched up and it healed over again. But no matter what, it would never heal completely. It would always be there with her, staring back at her in the mirror, mocking her on the inside. It still happened.

Pucca sighed, feeling bittersweet.

It's funny how nerves can lead to so many things. Some amazing, some awful, and some… well, some sort of mixture between the two. Hopefully everything plays out well for my uncles…

Pucca grinned slightly and began mopping the floor.

Garu sighed uneasily, brushing away a clump of tree branches.

"Look, Garu, if we haven't seen anything suspicious by now, I'm sure she's fine."

"Your friend is right. Your girlfriend is safe and sound, as she should be."  
Garu and Abyo both jumped at the sudden voice that echoed through the forest. The figure emerged itself from behind the trees, revealing her pale face.

"Nessie?" Abyo exclaimed.

"So _you're _Nessie, eh?" Garu dashed up to the girl, their faces nearly touching, and glared her straight in the eyes. "Listen up. You're going to tell me where Pucca is, and then maybe I won't have to use this," Garu pulled his katana out of his back pocket and held it up to her chest. "So, what's it gonna be?"

Nessie made one swift movement with her hand, knocking Garu's sword clean out of his hand and sending it flying miles deep into the forest.

Garu gawked at her, unsure of what his next move should be.

"Relax, ninja boy, I didn't do anything to harm your girlfriend. She's probably back at home as we speak."

Garu remained still.

Nessie giggled lightly, much similar to Pucca's giggle. "The two of us had a talk last night, and we're cool now. Okay?"

Garu hesitated, before tensely replying, "…alright. I'll believe you."

"Good. So, I'm assuming you're Garu?"  
"Yes, yes I am."  
"Pucca was right about you…" Nessie said, holding back vivacious laughter. "…you are good looking."

Garu felt his face turn bright red as Nessie crept up behind him and placed her hands firmly on his shoulders. "Almost good enough to eat…"  
Abyo let out a dry squeak. "G-G-Garu…?"

Garu stood dead silent, unable to move.

Nessie saw the two of them frozen with shock, and she chuckled. "Relax… it's just a figure of speech. Well, I better get out of here before sunrise is over. I burn easily…"  
Nessie dashed off, leaving Abyo and Garu standing with their jaws half dropped.

"Umm…" Garu murmured. "That was…"  
"I know."

Both exchanged puzzled glances, trying to figure out what they were missing.


End file.
